I could not write about putting God first without mentioning Matthew 6:33: “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of His entire kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” In other words, if we put God first, all our needs will be met; everything else will fall into place.
The idea of putting God first appears throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, God’s people gave what was called a “first fruits offering,” which meant they gave to Him the first of everything they had-their produce, firstborn animals, firstborn sons, their gold and silver-everything. So, if a man worked as a farmer, he gave the first crops that appeared in his field to the Lord as an offering.
When we give God our firsts, we are saying, “Lord, I want to give this to you before I do anything else.
I trust You to take care of me and meet all of my needs, and I want to honor you with the first evidence of my provision and increase. I don’t want to give you my leftovers; I want to give you my ‘firsts,’ to show that you are first in my life. I’m giving you my first fruits, and I trust you to bring more.” If we give God the first of everything that comes our way, the rest is blessed.
You see, God is a creator, not a consumer. Everything we have comes from Him; He simply asks for the first portion of it back-not because He needs it, but because we need to give it to keep ourselves mindful of the fact that He is preeminent in our lives. Nothing we offer to Him is ever lost; instead it can be multiplied because we put it in His hands.
I urge you to put God first by giving Him your firsts. Give Him the first part of every day by spending time with Him before you do anything else. Begin to schedule your day around God instead of trying to work God into your day. If we give Him the first part, He will make the rest extremely productive. Give God the first portion of your finances by not waiting to see what you have left for Him after you pay your bills. Give God the first of your attention, by turning to Him for guidance before you run to your friends or to the Internet for advice.
God is great and He is our God! He is able and willing to do more for us than we could ever ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20). He desires to enlarge your life and He wants you to enjoy not only your life, but Him. Do you enjoy God? Are you in close fellowship with Him? Is He first in your life? Don’t be afraid to answer these questions honestly because God loves honesty. There was certainly a time in my life when God was not first; I went to church but did not enjoy God or have close fellowship with Him.
All that has changed in my life and it can change in yours too. Begin practicing the power thought, “I put God first in my life.” The more you think it, the more you will do it.
Putting God first is a choice. You have to do it deliberately. But it’s a choice that brings greater blessings than you could ever imagine-peace in your heart, joy, fulfillment in life, provision for every need, and every other good thing. Put God first in your life today and every day. And watch to see what He will do!
Think about It
I want you to be totally honest with yourself and ask yourself if you’ve let anything get ahead of Him. If you have, make an adjustment.
“Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind (intellect).”
Matthew 22:37
“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of His entire kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”
Matthew 6:33
